This invention relates to a head cleaning device for a floppy disc drive which comprises a wiping material having a circular configuration enclosed in a cartridge or jacket having a plurality of openings to receive a cleaning fluid and which are opened and closed by a shutter means.
As the magnetic head of a floppy disc drive contacts the surface of a magnetic disc rotated at high speed for recording and reproducing, magnetic particles and binder material separated from the magnetic disc by friction between the magnetic head and the magnetic layer of the disc are deposited on the drive head. As a result thereof, the gap of the magnetic head is filled and the magnetic disc and head are separated from each other, resulting in signal errors and damage to the disc surface. Therefore, it is necessary to frequently clean the surface of the drive head.
For cleaning a drive head, there is a dry cleaning method wherein sheet-like sand paper used as a cleaning disc is enclosed in a jacket which is inserted into a floppy disc drive, and the drive head is cleaned by the surface of the sheet-like sand paper cleaning disc which is rotated within the jacket. However, this system has the disadvantage of abraiding and wearing the expensive drive head.
Also there is a wet cleaning system wherein a sheet soaked with cleaning solvent in the shape of a disc is enclosed in a jacket having a window to expose a part of the cleaning disc, and after pouring cleaning solvent onto the disc through the window, the jacket is inserted into the floppy drive and rotated to wipe the drive head with the surface of the disc wet with cleaning solvent. However, this method has the disadvantage that dust easily enters into the jacket through the window and the cleaning disc within the Jacket easily becomes dirty, and in order to prevent dust entering through the window, the jacket must be enclosed in a container such as an envelope, etc., which is inconvenient for handling and makes a quick cleaning operation difficult.
This present invention entirely overcomes the disadvantages of these conventional head cleaning arrangements for floppy disc drives as set forth above.